Autism Acceptance and Water Safety Webinar

 

Dear Friends of the Autism Community,   We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar: Autism Acceptance and Water Safety with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) and Autism Society of America on April 13, 2026 at 12pm (ET).    Join us for an important and timely conversation during Autism Acceptance Month as we come together to promote understanding, collaboration, and lifesaving water safety resources for the Autism community.   During this session, you’ll learn how the Autism Society and NDPA are working together to reduce preventable drownings and how you can help make an even greater impact.  We’ll also share valuable summer-ready resources, including educational materials for families and caregivers, as well as downloadable, ready-to-print water safety posters you can start using right away.   Together, we can promote acceptance, prioritize safety, and provide year-round support.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Register Today

About the Presenters:    Alissa Magrum is the Executive Director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) and has loved being near, in and around the water for her entire life.  She discovered her passion for water safety and drowning prevention in 2008 after her then 3-year-old daughter, Ella lost a preschool classmate (Colin Holst) to a fatal and preventable drowning in a lifeguarded pool in Austin, Texas.  The tragic loss of Colin’s life impacted Alissa as a young parent, and Alissa began volunteering for Colin’s Hope, the organization founded by Colin’s parents, Jeff and Jana Holst after Colin’s drowning.  In 2010, Alissa became and served as the Executive Director of Colin’s Hope for 14 years.  Alissa is a founding member of Families United to Prevent Drowning and has served in leadership roles for: the Texas Water Safety Coalition, Safe Kids Austin, the Central Texas Drowning Prevention Action Team, Face In Water and is a Member of the Global Water Safety and Drowning Prevention International Rotary Club.  Alissa believes deeply that her North Star(s) in this very important lifesaving work are those lost or almost lost to drowning and their family members. She is honored to lead the NDPA in this very important work and believes that collaboration is the key to making deeper and bigger lifesaving impacts.    Katie Wentley oversees safety programming for the Autism Society of America. Katie is passionate about the safety of the Autism community using a multitiered approach with a focus on preventative strategies. Katie has a master's degree in Autism and has spent her career teaching, working with, advocating for, and learning from the Autism community. Katie developed Safety on the Spectrum: Accessible Aquatics™ to address critical issues of preventable water-related death in the Autism community. This is a gold standard training increasing education across the Autism community and equipping aquatics professionals with the support needed to increase safety for Autistic individuals in and near water in local communities.